It should have been a perfect day.
The sun shone down, a few fleecy clouds sailed across the sky, Americans from many states trudged down that steep hill toward the large tent erected for the family members and dignitaries, including Colin Powell and General Tommy Franks.

It Should have been a perfect day....

Although everyone could feel the power, the occasion was largely sullied by the ham handed handling of the memorial service by the park service.
What should have been all about remembering the bravery of 40 American heroes, became an example of why the government can't be trusted to run anything larger than a child's birthday party.

They have had Eight years to organize a memorial that happens once a year, and they failed miserably.

 To begin with, there's no Official memorial yet, since the families roundly rejeced the "official" design the government offered that eerily resembled the Crescent and Star of the muslim faith, which was twisted and distorted then used as a weapon against our very freedom, and a suitable (politically correct) replacement hasn't been designed yet.

 Because there's no Official memorial, the government refuses to put up signs pointing to the crash site. This task was taken up by private citizens, who erected home-made signs leading to the field.  As we got there following the "unofficial signs" we were greeted by an exasperated park ranger who was obviously tired of telling the 1000th person that day that parking in that area was for family members and dignitaries only.(Try planning things better then)  Public parking was accessible from the Other end of skyline road, which meant a 6 mile detour to make it to the other end of a half-mile long country lane.

 We finally arrived at the impromptu memorial that sprang up shortly after that fateful day, and continues to grow even 8 years later. More about that later.

 Because of the detour, the memorial service had already begun, so we hurried down the hill surrounded by Patriots who had come like us, to honor the fallen.
We weren't expecting VIP seats, but we did expect at least a little common courtesy for the 1000+ Americans who took time off on a Friday morning to be there.

 I guess that was asking too much.

To me it felt like we were medieval peasants forced to stand outside of the royal banquet in hopes of getting a few scraps of leftovers.

 It would have cost the park service maybe $50 to provide a couple loudspeakers Outside of the tent, so the American citizens who spent their own time and money to be there, could actually hear the memorial service. Of course, we all know the government doesn't really give a rats derriere about the Citizens of this country, and that memorial proved it to me in a substantive way.

 We couldn't see anything happening inside the tent, we could only see shadows moving in shadows. Occasionaly you could hear a scrap or two of whatever was being said by the speakers at the lectern. Yet, we stood there, still glad to be a part, albeit a Small part, of remembering the brave men and women who gave their lives to protect thousands more from dying as that plane smashed into the white house or capitol building.

 The only time we actually felt a part of the ceremony, was when they called the roll, and rang a bell for each name. This was because the bell was outside of the tent, so they turned up the volume so the bell ringers could hear the names. After that they turned it back down.

 By then I was too disgusted with the arrogance, that we quietly left the crowd, along with a lot of others, and trudged back up the hill to the "temporary memorial".

 That little patch of ground overlooking the crash site struck me more than the circus at the bottom of the hill ever could have.  Here there wasn't a government sanctioned event, or pre planned memorial.  In a space maybe 100 feet square were examples of how wonderful Human beings can be. Even after Eight years, every week at least 5000 people from all over the globe stand in that little patch of land, and many leave a little memento, or bring small offerings, some as simple as a prayer scratched onto a stone they picked up from the field.

There are privately funded monuments, from families, motorcycle clubs, veterans groups, and just individuals fom as far away as Guatemala and South Africa.
They ranged from small grave marker type stones, to large granite monuments.
It left me breathless, with tears streaming down my cheeks.

There were angels planted on stakes, each with the name of a passenger or crewmember, created by PA elementary school students.  A local sign shop donated benches, each carved with 2 names of the heroes. A large wooden cross donated by a local catholic school which people have adorned with small pins and such, each a heartfelt memento left to honor forty courageous indiviuals.

THAT should just become the Official memorial.

It means a million times more than any politically correct attempt any government funded architect could ever produce. That little patch of ground showed the True heartfelt outpouring of gratitude from Americans, and non Americans, who wanted in their own way to honor the fallen heroes.

 It filled my heart with pride that I share this land with people who refuse to go quietly into that good night, and instead stood up to fight against the forces of overwhelming hate. They laid down their own lives to save the lives of thousands of people they didn't even know.

It definitely gave me that little extra push on saturday to march a little prouder, and yell a little louder at the fools playing political games in the capitol building while our nation is in crisis.

Even though I left just livid at my inept government, the memory of standing on that Hallowed Ground where the heroes of flight 93 ended their fateful trip, still makes my eyes leak and my heart sing.

If only the government hadn't Screwed it up like everything else they touch.

 Click Here to see the slideshow of the memorial service and the temporary memorial!

As always, comments and criticism are always welcome.

 I saw at least a million of my fellow Americans descend on the seat of power.
They came by Train, by Car, by Bus, morocycle, plane, and I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't at least one guy that hitchiked to get there.

 They came with a singleminded determination, and the passion that makes this the greatest nation that ever existed on this sad little planet.

 They came to defend all that is the America we all know and love.
They came to defend personal freedom, And personal Responsibility.
They came to defend their right to choose their own health care, and the responsibility of paying your own way in life.
They came to defend the very Constitution that makes this country possible.

 They came with Tshirts, and protest signs they designed with their own imaginations, not pre printed and handed out by community organizers.
They Paid their own way, they weren't rounded up and handed a sack lunch and a check for $50 to protest for fun and profit.

 They came to tell our "Leaders" We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore.

Sorry, never meant to "Wax Eloquent" on ya, that just sorta happened.
(steps from behind the pulpit)

 My head is still swirling with images and sounds, and yes smells of saturday.(we had to walk behind the porta potties)

 I guess the only way to do this justice is to start at the beginning, and go chonologically.

 We stayed in Sterling VA because the rates were Cheap and the rooms were nice too. (A Suite for 65 bucks a night!) This was after spending friday morning at the Flight 93 memorial. (I'm blogging about that tomorrow)
Friday night, I sat in my hotel room, and even out there in the burbs, there was an electicity in the air.
It felt like the calm tension just before a Big storm hits.

I knew we were going to witness something Huge.

When we arrived at the Vienna metro station, the line to buy tickets, stretched out of the lobby, across the freeway catwalks in both directions, across the parking lot and down the street!

This is when I saw the first event of the day that literally filled my heart with joy.

 As we stood in line, we were talking to a Mom and her teenage son, (libs but nice) who were headed into town to the museum.  Behind us was a couple from Ohio who had driven from cleveland in a rustbucket car because, like me and the boy, they Had to be there.
As we approached the ticket machines, the boy (he's 22, but still "the boy")overheard her asking the husband what they were going to use to buy the tickts, seems cash was pretty tight. (I didn't hear it, I'm kinda deaf)

When he got to the machine to get tickets, he paid for 4, then turned around and handed 'em to the couple. The look on their faces was priceless.
They tried to offer him money, and he just pointed at me and said "He always told me to  perform random acts of kindness.".

I musta done something right.

The next thing I know we're standing on a platform that's literally Crammed full, but no one was pushing or shoving, they were introducing themselves to new friends in all directions.

Boarding the train was an eerie flashback to those scenes they show on the travel channel in tokyo, the trains were literally Crammed full.  This was at the First station!

I can truly say I know what a sardine feels like. (old cliche's never die)
You didn't have to worry about falling over, there was nowhere to fall.

 We finally arrive more than 1 1/2 hours later, in what is normally a 40 minute ride. Long past the 10am meet up time at the washington monument.
As we streamed out of the station, Pennsylvania ave. was already a solid river of humanity.  We luckily got to meet up with 3 of the TH Band of Bloggers, with whom I'd had a chance to trade cell numbers. The rest sadly, were scattered around the crowd. (I found out today that Davecatbone was literally, Feet away from us.)

Then the currents took us down toward the capitol, elbow to elbow with patriots from every state and some territories.after an "interesting" shortcut, behind the porta potties.  At the time it was the only place the crowd was still moving toward the capitol lawn.

The boy, having spent 4 years as an Offensive Lineman in high school, naturally took point when the crowd got thicker.  He's not menacing, but for some reason when he walks by, people make room. :o)  As a result, we spent most of the rally right in the Mosh pit, maybe 200 yards from the capitol building. o)

 I can truly say I've seen some wild things in my life, but this was a singular event. Schoolchildren will learn about the Second American tea party.

There are a million images in my head, but there are some things that really stick out in my mind.

 For one thing, you never saw a Stranger, it was like a great big family reunion. People would read your shirt, or sign and strike up a conversation like you were old friends. And, this may be hard for libs to understand, It didn't feel weird, it felt Right.

I bet I talked to 200+ people that day, and 2 questions were invariably asked.
Where did you come from?  and How did you get here?
The answers were as varied as the US population, but they were all there for the same reason. "We're here to defend the Constitution".

Another thing that struck me was that the air was literally alive with patriotism and Joy. Everyone had a smile, everyone was laughing and pointing out funny signs and such. I must have gotten 100 compliments on my Tshirt.
Although we had gathered for a deadly serious reason, it was FUN.
 
Finally, The moment that will be with me forever was the sound of a million patriots singing the Star Spangled Banner. I bet half the crowd were in tears. It was one of those experiences no one ever expects, but never forgets.

Hearing "You Lie!" roll through the crowd like the Wave, was pretty darn cool too.
The same happened with chants of USA USA, spontaneous outbursts of sheer happiness.

I see that day as the moment in history where the wave of liberalism, crashed upon the solid Bedrock of America, and began to roll back.

For every person marching saturday, there were 100 Americans who wished they could be there.

The silent majority didn't speak on 9/12,

We Roared!

To every man, woman, and child there that day, God bless you, and God bless America. 

I think he did saturday.

Anyone have a 9/12 experience they want to share?
We'd love to hear 'em.

My take on the flight 93 memorial experience tomorrow, along with slideshows of both.